The Judging Process

Screening and Judging will take place in three rounds after the close of applications on March 2 , 2015 . The FLoW Judging and Awards Celebration will determine the Regional winners, and be hosted in Los Angeles, May 13 , 2015.

Round 1: Submissions March 2, 2015

This round will be judged online, using the iStart platform, by experts including angel investors and VCs, technology specialists, university tech transfer personnel, corporate venture experts and utilities specialists, and leaders from the service industry. Each submission will be reviewed by three judges seeking entries demonstrating a defined technology platform and a strong business concept for building a sustainable business. Contestants will be evaluated, scored and ranked according to FLoW judging criteria rubric.

Round 2: Semi-finals April 10, 2015 (SoCal and NorCal)

Two semi-final rounds will be held at a university in Los Angeles and UC Berkeley respectively where California and out of state teams will compete. Teams can either attend in person or participate through Google Hangout or Skype. Panels of judges comprised of Angel investors, VCs and representatives of utilities and corporate venture funds will assess the business proposition, team quality and ability to "sell" the concept through the presentation. The format includes detailed feedback from the judges and should your team elect to attend in person, there will be opportunities to network with the judges and with other teams.

Round 3: The Regional Finals and Awards, May 13, 2015

Each of the teams will present their business plan in a formal session before Judging Panels consisting of the same profile as Round 2, and tasked with determining the first, second and third place winners. This will be followed by an evening event, including invited members of the business community celebrating all who competed.